Therapeutic rocker having lateral and longitudinal rocking motion

ABSTRACT

This specification discloses a two-way rocking chair in the form of a platform rocker. The chair seat and backrest are supported on a turntablelike arrangement made up of two disks rotatable relative to each other so that the seat will rock back and forward in a conventional manner or the disks may be rotated ninety degrees relative to each other rotating the seat and backrest ninety degrees relative to the base whereby the rocker will rock from side to side.

i 22 Filed:

United States Patent Thompson [54] THERAPEUTIC ROCKER HAVING LATERAL ANDLONGITUDINAL ROCKING MOTION [72] Inventor: William M. Thompson, 1724West 11th Street, Erie, Pa. 16505 Jan. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 110,095

[52] US. Cl .Q ..297/258, 297/263 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 3/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..297/258, 259, 261, 263,349; 248/418 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 229,733 7/1880 Michaels ..297/263.

[ 51 Oct. 10,1972

333,393 12/1885 Chichesten ..297/263 1,380,241 5/1921 Olbon ..297/263Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Darrell MarquetteAttorney-Charles L. Lovercheck [57] ABSTRACT This specificationdiscloses a two-way rocking chair in the form of a platform rocker. Thechair seat and backrest are supported on a turntablelike arrangementmade up of two disks rotatable relative to each other I so that the seatwill rock back and forward in a conventional manner or the disks may berotated ninety degrees relative to each other rotating the seat andbackrest ninety degrees relative to the base whereby the rocker willrock from side to side.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures I proved two-way rocker.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to providea-rocking chair that will rock in aconventional manner and will alsorock from side to side.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im- Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved rocking chair.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood'that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificingany of theadvantages of the invention.

DESCRlPTlON OF THE DRAWINGS HO. 1 is a side view'of the chair accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view vention... a 1- FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of apart of the rotating mechanism. v

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular referenceto the drawings, the chair has a seat 10, backrest 11, and arm rests 17fixed together in a conventional manner. An upper disk 12 is fixed tothe chair seat. The upper disk 12 rests on the lower disk 13. The lowerdisk 13 is fixed to the rocker 18. The rocker 18 is supported on thebase 14 and a pin 20 extends therethrough and a nut 21 may be fixed tothe lower end of the pin.

Rockers 18 are held in place by a suitable structure familiar to thoseskilled in the art; for example, like that shown in US. Pat. No.229,733, US. Pat. No. 333,393 or US. Pat. No. 1,380,241.

A lock pin 23 is supported on the side of the chair seat. The lock pinwill extend through the hole 24 in the upper plate and the second hole25 in the lower plate when the chair is in a first position.

The pin 23 can be pulled out of the hole 25 and the chair seat andbackrest rotated ninety degrees relative to the base to bring the hole24 into alignment with the third hole 26. The pin 23 can then be passedthrough of the chair according to the in- 2 both these holes and it willhold the chair in a second position so that it can rock from side toside.

The pin 20 will extend through the holes 27 and 28 in rockers 18,functions in the manner of a conventional platform rocker and thesprings 29 counterbalance the rocker in a conventional manner.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the a d d lR2 e i'nl oflu r i ents of the invention in which an exclu sive propertyor privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A chair comprising a seat and a base,

an upper disk and a lower disk supported in face to face relation witheach other and pivotally connected together at their center,

spaced rockers fixed to said lower disk,

said rockers being supported on said base,

means to support said base on a floor surface,

said seat being fixed to said upperdisk,

and means for holding said seat, disks, base and rockers against lateraldisplacement relative to each other wherebysaid rockers can rock on saidbase in a direction parallel to said rockers,

and said disks being adapted to be rotated ninety degrees relative toeach other whereby said chair will rock from side to side. 2. The chairrecited in claim 1 wherein said backrest and said arms and said seat arefixed together.

3. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein means is provided to lock saiddisks together selectively in a first position and in a second positionrotated ninety degrees to said base whereby said rocker will rock fromside to side.

4. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein said means to lock said diskscomprises a pin,

a hole in said upper disk, and a first hole in said lower disk, and asecond hole in said lower disk, said hole and said first hole beingadapted to be aligned with each other receiving said pin when said seatis in a first position relative to said base,

said hole and said second hole being adapted to be aligned with eachother when said seat is rotated ninety degrees relative to said base toa position to rock laterally.

1. A chair comprising a seat and a base, AN UPPER DISK AND A LOWER DISKSUPPORTED IN FACE TO FACE RELATION WITH EACH OTHER AND PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TOGETHER AT THEIR CENTER, SPACED ROCKERS FIXED TO SAID LOWERDISK, SAID ROCKERS BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE, MEANS TO SUPPORT SAIDBASE ON A FLOOR SURFACE, SAID SEAT BEING FIXED TO SAID UPPER DISK, ANDMEANS FOR HOLDING SAID SEAT, DISKS, BASE AND ROCKERS AGAINST LATERALDISPLACEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY SAID ROCKERS CAN ROCK ONSAID BASE IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID ROCKERS, AND SAID DISKS BEINGADAPTED TO BE ROTATED NINETY DEGREES RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY SAIDCHAIR WILL ROCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
 2. The chair recited in claim 1wherein said backrest and said arms and said seat are fixed together. 3.The chair recited in claim 1 wherein means is provided to lock saiddisks together selectively in a first position and in a second positionrotated ninety degrees to said base whereby said rocker will rock fromside to side.
 4. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein said means to locksaid disks comprises a pin, a hole in said upper disk, and a first holein said lower disk, and a second hole in said lower disk, said hole andsaid first hole being adapted to be aligned with each other receivingsaid pin when said seat is in a first position relative to said base,said hole and said second hole being adapted to be aligned with eachother when said seat is rotated ninety degrees relative to said base toa position to rock laterally.